Transit of Venus from Walker Lake, Nevada

Venus's Voyage Across the Sun 

After attempting to photograph the annular solar eclipse last month which was obstructed by cloud cover, I decided to prepare for the Venus Transit across the Sun on June 5, 2012 in hopes that the weather would be clear.

Upon gathering as much information as possible about the safety precautions for solar viewing and photography, I determined that the Baader AstroSolar™filter material from the Baader Planeatrium was the wisest choice.  The filter produced by Baader is not inexpensive with a 3.5 inch (9cm) sheet costing $15.00; however the double coated material is guaranteed free of pinholes and approved for eye safety by the National Bureau of Standards in Germany.  And when I am focusing on the sun through a long telephoto lens, the safety of my eyesight is of up most importance.  The other advantage for selecting the Baader AstroSolar™filter is that the sun appears in its true color which is neutral white.

Along with the filter material are directions on how to mount and create a light proof box for attachment to the camera lens. Initially, I was going to use a poster mailer for mounting the filter to the lens.

  

After the poster mailer was cut down to the recommended 2 inch (5cm) size, a decision was made instead to use a  card board box because the opening could be cut to fit snugly on to the Nikon 500mm camera lens. Then a 3.5 inch (9cm) circle was cut on both sides of a thick folded paper to sandwich the Baader AstroSolar™filter before it was taped to the lightproof box.  Extra care must be taken with the filter to prevent scratches and finger prints that can cause damage. 

 Using my lens hoods, I adapted two additional boxes for the filter to be used with my other Nikon lenses, the 35-70mm and the 80-200mm.

   

To reach as much distance as possible, I used my Nikon 500mm 4.0 lens and a 2Xteleconverter with the Baader AstroSolar™filter secured to the light proof box.  By taking some trial exposures of the sun, I determined that I would need a slower shutter speed of 1/125 second due to the filter and teleconverter cutting down on the amount of light reaching the camera sensor.

First contact--the dark disk of Venus appears to touch the Sun's outer edge on the ingress.

Second contact--Venus travels inside the Sun’s disk.

Venus travels almost midway across the Sun; the dark spots in the center of the Sun are sunspots.  Orange hue has been added in Lightroom for a more dramatic effect.

Venus is barely visible as the Sun drops behind the Wassuk Mountain at Walker Lake, Nevada.

For additional information:

 http://www.alpineastro.com/Solar_Observation/Solar_Observation.htm

http://www.optcorp.com/Manufacturer.aspx?mid=225&gclid=CIfd6t36ubACFQF6hwod2QMX8g

---

What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

---

Walker Lake's East Side

A Glimpse Through Earth's Ancient History

A trek through the desert to the east side of Walker Lake takes one back through the ages to a glimpse at Earth's ancient times.  The natural high desert lake of Walker Lake lies with in the Great Basin Desert, south of Reno Nevada and northeast of Yosemite, California. 

Going back in history, earlier than 586 million yeas, the Great Basin Desert was formed during the Prepaleozoic Era due to plate tectonics that lifted the ancient seabed.  Having no outlet, it became an inland sea.  Moving forward in history, during the Pleistocene epoch (ice age), Lake Lahontan covered most of the western U.S.  As the climate began to warm, the massive ice sheet receded northward, causing Lake Lahontan also to recede.  A number of smaller isolated lakes were left behind in closed valleys, thus Walker Lake was born.  Today, three major rivers still drain and feed these lakes: the Truckee, the Carson and Walker which presently flows to Walker Lake.

The west side of Walker Lake is established with a residential area, parks and recreation.

 Across the lake, the east side still remains desert and primitive. Desert sage, natural grass and rabbit bush grow abundantly in the alkali desert soil. Shells from ancient sea creatures are uncovered from wind drifts and accent the sandy banks. 

The mantle from a long extinct volcano stands out against the distant Gillis Mountain Range and is a reminder of Walker Lake's violent past.

Looking out across the desert playa toward the west side of Walker Lake and the Wassuk Mountain Range.

A fun day exploring the desert with the camera.  At a glance, the desert appears barren and harsh, but remain still and watch closely and its many secrets will be told.

Photographs Make Great Gifts

---

What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

---

December 10, 2011 Lunar Eclipse

Chasing the Moon

 In the early morning of Saturday, December 10, 2011 there was a total lunar eclipse that was visible from the west coast.  If you've been following my blogs, you know that I am effected by full moon madness and earned the title as "one who chases the moon".  After careful preparations, I set the alarm to be up at 4:30am and  brave the cold to go out and chase the lunar eclipse.  During this week, the temperatures had been getting very cold at night, dropping from 5° to 19°f  (-15° to -9.4°c) so I was prepared with my down jacket, ski pants and plenty of hot coffee.  I was somewhat relieved when I saw that it had only gotten as low as 20°f (-6.6°c) on my outdoor thermometer.

I decided to use my Nikon 80-200mm 2.8 lens for this lunar eclipse where I would normally use the longer 500mm 4.0 lens.  The reasons for going with the shorter lens are: the 80-200 is a faster lens, thus allowing for faster shutter speeds and it would give me the area to include more landscape in the scene if needed. 

On the night before the eclipse, I did a trial run with the moon to test for metering and found that it might be safest to bracket in the manual mode with the shutter speed at 1/800 seconds, f/8 aperture and ISO at 200.  Because the moon is so much brighter than the dark sky, I used spot metering.

I arose early in the morning and realized that the moon would be setting behind the tall mountain much sooner that I thought.  After taking the first exposure and checking for sharpness in the camera screen, I determined that my setting from the previous night was just right. 

As the eclipsing moon was just about to set behind the Wassuk Mountain, I wanted to get the mountain silhouetted against the setting moon.  I changed the metering from spot to matrix, opened my aperture to f/5.6 and began to bracket the shutter speed down to 1/400 seconds.

Just as a test, I changed from Manual  to Aperture mode and got an unusual result.  The image is overexposed, has lens flare but is interesting in an alien world effect. 

 

The last exposure, the eclipsed moon has dropped behind the Wassuk and the stars begin to shine, but the sky is still bright from the moon's glow.

Photographs Make Great Gifts

---

What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

---

The Stage Stop

Fletcher Nevada

The first winter storm of 2009 covered much of Northern Nevada with snow. The landscape was so beautiful that I had to venture out with my camera, so I took a drive from Hawthorne through Lucky Boy Pass. Lucky Boy Pass was originally used by prospectors during the 1880's as a route from Aurora, Nevada to California. Presently, the winding dirt mountain road is maintained and used as a route between Nevada and California.

While driving through hills green with junipers and Pinyon pines, I came to a flat area of popular and cottonwood trees that was just before the junction to the Aurora road. The view to the west of the snow covered Sierra Nevada range was breath taking.

During the 1880's when mining was at its prime, this remote area was a stage stop that connected the Aurora mining camp to the rail line at Hawthorne. From 1883 to 1919, the Fletcher stage stop offered the traveler an oasis in the desert with its natural springs and tall shade trees. Named for its postmaster, H. D. Fletcher, the settlement received mail delivery until the post office in Hawthorne took over the route on November 30, 1918.

Today, we are left with only a few reminders of the stage stop at Fletcher. Other than the springs that give life to the cottonwood and popular trees, there is the small cabin that was built on to the hillside and a historical rock monument. Any other glimpse into life at the settlement of Fletcher has been erased by time.

As I walk past one of the tall trees, I notice what appears to be an old rusted cross affixed to the trunk. Since it reached out to me, I began to wonder, was it once the frame holding a road sign or could it have been an offering of safe passage to travelers on their perilous journey.

In the spring and summer, when nature has awakened from its dormancy, I plan to return to Fletcher. With the natural springs, wet marshes and abundant foliage this will be a natural habitat for many different species of wildlife.

---

What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request.

---